An intriguing novelty service that has been provided for several years relates to the production of personalized books, such as romance novels. In the performance of the prior art service, a potential customer calls or writes the company offering the service to request a questionnaire and information, and returns payment with the completed questionnaire. Then the personalized romance novel is published utilizing the information on the questionnaire, and sent to the customer. This service is not particularly effective, however, because it requires the customer to plan substantially in advance, and to take the initiative to obtain the questionnaire and related information, and is not subject to retail marketing, or point-of-purchase impulse decisions.
According to the present invention, a kit for a personalized book, and a method of producing and distributing a personalized book, are provided which avoid the problems associated with the prior art services. According to the present invention, a tangible product is produced which can be purchased and sold itself. The tangible product gives the purchaser a realistic indication of the final product, as well as appropriate instructions, and allows the customer to give the kit as a gift itself. Because a tangible product is involved, personalized books can be marketed through retail outlets and mail order catalogs, and the organizations offering the kits for sale are paid at the time of the sale of the kits (up front), rather than when the questionnaires are sent in. This makes the entire process more efficient, facilitates impulse buying, and makes what was formerly merely a service widely marketable through retail outlets and mail order catalogs.
According to one aspect of the present invention a kit is provided comprising the following elements: A simulated book. A questionnaire having a plurality of blank spaces for insertion of personalized information for a personalized book corresponding to the simulated book. And, packaging means for packaging the simulated book and questionnaire so that at least a portion of the simulated book is visible from the exterior of the packaging means.
The kit also typically includes a reply envelope with a reply address on it, disposed within the packaging, which packaging typically is transparent shrink wrap plastic. The simulated book preferably has substantially the same size and shape as a real paperback novel; i.e. roughly about 4 inches.times.7 inches, and about 1/8-3/4 inch thick. The simulated book preferably includes a book cover and a piece of foam core covered by the book cover, and attached to the book cover by a single strip of adhesive or a coating of spray adhesive. The questionnaire and reply envelope are provided between the cover and the foam core, and instructions can be printed on the back face of the cover, readily readable through the shrink wrap plastic. The kit thus has a size that is substantially the same as the final product book that will be delivered when the questionnaire is completed and returned to the company selling the kits.
In order to prevent fraud--since the purchasers of the kit merely complete and send in the questionnaire, not providing any money with the questionnaire--the questionnaire is preferably printed on difficult to accurately photocopy paper, e.g. colored paper, with difficult to photocopy ink, and/or with a serial number (e.g. in bar code format). For example the questionnaire can be on paper having a color other than white, and having a visible distinctive water mark or printed background design, or have any of a wide variety of well known security features used to prevent reproduction of checks, title documents, and the like (such as those which display the word "Void" when photocopied). For example the questionnaire can be on pink paper having a rose watermark or printed background design, if the personalized book is a romance novel, and the ink could be reddish-purple.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a kit is provided comprising: A paper book cover having a front face with a title and pictorial representation, and a rear face. A piece of foam core covered by the book cover so as to provide a simulated book. A questionnaire disposed between the book cover and the foam core. And, transparent plastic packaging surrounding the simulated book so that the front and rear faces of the simulated book are visible therethrough.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of producing and distributing a personalized book is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Packaging a simulated book, that has an outward appearance and size substantially the same as the personalized book to be produced, with a questionnaire and instructions, in an integral package in which at least a part of the simulated book is readily visible. (b) Selling the integral package for a price that includes printing and delivery of the basic personalized book. (c) Receiving a completed questionnaire, with personalized information thereon. (d) Printing the personalized book using the personalized information from the completed questionnaire as part of the text of the book. And, (e) delivering the completed personalized book in accordance with the personalized information on the completed questionnaire.
Step (a) is typically practiced to provide the questionnaire on difficult to accurately photocopy paper, and step (d) is practiced only if the questionnaire received in step (c) is an original questionnaire on the difficult to accurately photocopy paper. Step (a) is also typically practiced by providing as the simulated book a piece of foam core covered by a book cover having substantially the same front face as the personalized book, with the questionnaire packaged between the cover and the foam core. Step (a) is also typically practiced to provide at least some of the instructions on the rear face of the book, and by providing a bar code with a serial number.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective kit, and method of producing and distributing a personalized book utilizing the kit, to make the sale and marketing of personalized books more effective. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.